State Energy Assistance & Lifeline (SEAL) Programs:

HEAT or the Home Energy Assistance Target Program is administered and funded through the U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services’ Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). HEAT receives about $14 million in federal funds each year and provides the following services each year:

Winter Home Energy Assistance over 34,000 households
Case Management Support & Referral over 34,000 households
Home Energy Crisis Intervention over 2,900 households
HEAT/Weatherization 800 homes
HEAT/Weatherization Crisis/Furnace Repairs: 700 households

HELP or the Home Electric Lifeline Program was approved by the Utah Public Service Commission (PSC). It is operated under contract with the PSC and the Utah Department of Commerce (DOC), Division of Public Utilities (DPU). It is funded through a surcharge of 12 cents per month on UPL customer bills. Only UPL low-income customers are eligible for this program. It generates $1.8 million annually in $8 monthly discounts for low-income households.

HELP Lifeline assists over 23,000 households annually

UTAP Lifeline or the Utah Telephone Assistance (Lifeline) Program was also approved by the PSC and the DOC/DPU. It is funded through the Universal Services Funds (USF) by a FCC and Utah State surcharge on telephone bills. It provides about $13.50 a month discount for low-income households with telephones and a 50% (up to $30) Link-Up discount for low-income households who want to install a telephone in their home. This program generates about $2.7 million in discount assistance annually.

UTAP Lifeline expects to enroll and serve over 20,000 households

UMP or the Utility Moratorium Protection program was approved by the Utah State Legislature in 1980. It protects low-income households from having their utilities shut-off during the winter because they can’t pay their utility bills. UMP is enforced by the HEAT Program between November 15 and March 15 each winter.

UMP protected 92 households against utility termination 2005-2006 winter.

HOPWA or the Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS is administered and funded through the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The state has been awarded $111,000 for FY 2006 for rural Utah which encompasses 26 of 29 counties. HOPWA provides housing assistance such as rent, mortgage, utility, and other emergency housing assistance for persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

HOPWA assists over 100 persons living with HIV/AIDS households each year.